On November 26th, near an open-air mall in Atlanta, one was left dead and five more injured. According to Atlanta Police Lieutenant Germaine Dearlove, after a group was escorted off popular shopping center, Atlantic Station, property the group moved to the 17th street bridge where a dispute occurred which turned into a shooting. The group was removed for unruly behavior and curfew violations. When police arrived at the scene, police identified one deceased male, who has since been identified as a 12-year-old by Atlanta’s Mayor Andre Dickens, and five others who were transported to local hospitals. Out of the group of five, one was in critical condition. All five, reported by Dearlove, are between 15 and 21.
Per Atlanta Journal-Constitution, youth under the age of 18 are required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to be at Atlantic Station after 3 pm, and those under 21 are not permitted on the premise after 9 pm.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum has said that this shooting was not random, the individuals involved all knew each other. Schierbaum also added to his statement, released Saturday night following the shooting, that these individuals had had a conflict earlier in the month.
This has also not been the only shooting at Atlantic Station over the past several months, as the area has seen quite a few in only a couple months.
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Just thugs, uh I mean kids, being kids!